Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: From the Ashes of Victory
by Return of the Thief
Summary: "Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I'm not living."
1. Chapter 1

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: From the Ashes of Victory**

O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,

That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!

Thou art the ruins of the noblest man

That ever lived in the tide of times.

Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!

Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,—

Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,

To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue—

A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;

Domestic fury and fierce civil strife

Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;

Blood and destruction shall be so in use

And dreadful objects so familiar

That mothers shall but smile when they behold

Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;

All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:

And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,

With Ate by his side come hot from hell,

Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice

Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;

That this foul deed shall smell above the earth

With carrion men, groaning for burial.

- William Shakespeare

* * *

…

_I dreamed a dream in time gone by…_

_No._

_That is not the right song. The right song is fire and brimstone and maggots and a swift, unwanted, dreamless sleep. How can sleep be dreamless? What is worse than a sleep devoid of dreams? Children's cries for their mothers meld with mothers' cries for their children to form an awful harmony. There is a swell, a crescendo, and then silence._

_Who knew right could be so wrong?_

…

_I do not like that song._

_That does not mean I do not listen._

He awoke to darkness. For a moment he lay there and saw nothing. Felt nothing. It was the most peaceful and terrifying moment he'd ever experienced.

Or was it?

_I can't see. _The thought, louder than sound, louder than life, burst into his consciousness. _I can't _see. _I can't see I can't see I can't –_

"Then open your eyes." The voice was low and alien and gruff and beautiful. He laid there for a moment, soaking in the voice. Then he realized what it was the voice was actually saying. Eyes? He knew what eyes were, didn't he? Gathering up his strength, he attempted to do as the voice said. He wanted to see. But it was difficult. Why was it so difficult? He concentrated, struggling, struggling, reaching toward that one desire…

He opened his eyes.

For several seconds he was blinded by the vivid world; the beautiful, brave new world. Then he had to blink away the mucus that gummed his eyes shut so that everything could come into focus. He was in some kind of one room hut. Sunlight streamed through an open hole for a window, through the gaps in the thatched roof, painting everything in swathes of light and shadow. He could feel hay poking at his skin. Glancing down, he saw he was on a makeshift pallet. Outside, through the window, he could see a forest, dripping in lush greens and stolid browns.

_Where am I? _He looked around slowly, attempting to orient himself. Nothing seemed familiar. Or was it? He realized he didn't know. Disturbed, he sat there, confused and wishing he knew what was going on.

"About time you woke up. I was convinced you were dead." It was the voice. He swiveled toward it. Too fast. The landscape blurred and he passed out.

When he woke up again it was abrupt. He sat bolt upright, gasping, as freezing water dripped down his fur. Fur? That couldn't be right. He looked down again, frowning. No, he definitely had fur. He watched as steam curled off his cream colored _fur_ and a gentle warmth enveloped him from the inside out.

"Huh, that's interesting. You must be a fire type or something." The voice again. The things it said were so confusing and yet poignant once the epiphany set in. Moving far slower this time, he turned toward the voice. It was a mouse like… thing, with soft grey fur and hard black eyes.

_A Minccino_. He didn't know how he knew that. But he did. Just like he'd known he had eyes once the voice reminded him of it. _But Minccino can't talk. Can they? _Apparently they could. He stared at the Minccino for a long time. Finally he tried to speak and started coughing, choking on the phlegm coating his throat. The Minccino twitched, glanced down at the gourd in hand (paw?) and then thrust it toward him.

"Here. Drink this. It'll help." He hesitated and then reached out and took the gourd. Dimly he noted that his hands were orange paws. Why did that feel so wrong? But then he was gulping down the water in the hollowed out gourd and nothing else mattered but that the dry scratchiness in his throat was relieved. In an instant he'd licked the gourd of every last drop of liquid. It was strange that he didn't like water on his fur, but loved it as it slid down his throat. He stared mournfully at the gourd for a moment, and then looked at the Minccino.

"More?" he croaked. The Minccino stared at him for a moment before shaking his head, muttering something unintelligible.

"If I'm going to be fetching you water, you may as well tell me your name, as well as whatever the heck you are." The Minccino took the gourd and eyed him critically. He stared back for a moment, expression vacant. What was his name? What was he? For a long moment the answers eluded him. It was as though an abyss had opened up and he was falling through it. If he didn't have a name, did he even really exist? Was he nothing more than somebody's dream? Then, in a flash of understanding, blazing brighter than the sun, he remembered.

"David," he said. The name sounded wonderful as it rolled off his lips. "I'm a human." The Minccino blinked. Then he threw back his head and laughed. It was a mirthless sound. David stared at him, confused. "What's so funny?"

"Human…" The Minccino shook his head. "That's a good one. Clearly you're several Oran berries short a full basket, yeah? Still, I guess that's to be expected. Wait here, I'll be right back." He walked out of the gaping entrance for a doorway, still laughing. David watched him go, puzzled. Then David remembered that humans didn't have fur, or orange claws. So then way was he so sure that he was human?

_I don't understand what's happening. _David squashed the urge to howl with frustration. The Minccino returned, water spilling over the edge of the gourd. David straightened, eager to quench his lingering thirst. Grabbing the gourd David paused as he caught sight of his reflection. A round face covered in the same creamy fur. Huge blue eyes. A pert black nose. Most prominent of all, two huge ears the color of burnt orange, joining together at his forehead to form a 'V'.

_I'm a Victini. But I'm a human. _The contradictory realization confused David, so he busied himself by draining the gourd. When he finished David realized that the Minccino was watching him curiously.

"Who are you?" David asked after a moment. The Minccino frowned, cocking his head to the side.

"I'm the one who found you." Such a blunt statement, filled with so many inherent revelations. "But I suppose you can call me Caesar, Mr. Human." David knew that name. He didn't know how, just like he didn't know how he was really supposed to be human, but he knew that name. A flicker of irritation caused the recognition to fade away.

"My name is David. And I _am_ human. Or… I was?" David cocked his head, face screwed up in concentration. "What happened to me?" Caesar shrugged.

"You fell from the sky. I brought you here. So, anyway, I'll ask again. What _are _you? I've never seen your kind before. Are you from Jantoenn?" His voice became strangely brittle sounding. David blinked.

"I told you. I'm human." Caesar rolled his eyes. "But right now… I think I'm a Victini. I don't even know what this Jantoenn is." That seemed to relieve Caesar, for whatever reason.

"Never heard of Victini before," he muttered. "Doesn't mean they don't exist, but still." Caesar gazed at David, expression unreadable. David squirmed.

"So, wait. I fell from the sky?" David asked as that piece of information hit home. He was fairly certain it wasn't a normal occurrence. Caesar shook away his musings with a flick of his large round ears and nodded.

"Yeah. Lit up the heavens like a firework and crash landed a mile or so away. I happened to be in the vicinity and trekked out to find you. Good thing, too. Who knows what nasty Wild might've gotten you otherwise?" So many questions swirled in David's head. Questions within questions. Questions without answers. He wanted to express some of them.

"I see," David said instead. They stared at one another for a long moment after that. Neither quite knew what to say.

"What will you do now?" Caesar asked.

"I don't know." He didn't. He felt like he didn't know anything. And yet he seemed to know everything. Everything except that which mattered. There was another prolonged silence.

"… I suppose you can come with me." Caesar shifted uncertainly. "I have something I need to do. You can tag along, if you'd like. Then I can get you to Shoreton City." David had no idea what Shoreton City was. But he felt relieved that Caesar had offered his help. The very thought of striking out on his own was frightening.

"Thank you." It seemed appropriate. Caesar scuffed at the worn wooden floor, embarrassed.

"Yeah, whatever. Don't mention it." Then he straightened, suddenly all business. "Well, c'mon, we might as well get a move on." David blinked.

"Uh… Caesar?" The Minccino paused.

"What?"

"I'm not sure I can walk." David felt horribly weak and useless admitting this. Caesar made a face.

"Well, I can't exactly carry you. Not strong enough. Try at least, yeah?" he said. David nodded hesitantly before wobbling to his feet.

_I have wings, _he realized in the process. Briefly David wondered if he could fly. But first he needed to walk. Taking a deep breath, David spread his feet out. His legs felt strange and watery.

"You can do it." David was fairly certain Caesar meant to be encouraging, although it came out sounding impatient. At least he hoped that was the case. David took a step and his legs promptly gave out from under him. Caesar mumbled something before coming forward and hauling David to his feet again. It took several more tries, but eventually David was out of the hut and walking slowly if a bit more confidently.

"What is this place?" David asked, looking around. There were more huts, most of them in varying states of disrepair. They were blackened shells with caved in roofs, overgrown grass and weeds covering the entrances, mere husks... echoes that no one could hear. What had long ago been a bustling little town was now nothing but a ghost of its former self, with a tragic and lonely aura hanging heavy in the still air.

"The Hallowed Village," Caesar said stiffly. David shivered in spite of himself. Even the name sounded ominous. Then he thought of the hut he'd been situated in – how its condition was far superior to the rest – and a realization occurred.

"Do you live here?" David asked.

"A couple days a year, yeah. It's not safe to stay in the Bayren Forest much longer. Not anymore. The madness takes you."

"Madness?"

"That's what I said." David stopped and frowned at Caesar. The Minccino paused as well. They had reached the outskirts of the Hallowed Village. "What?"

"You're not very nice, are you?" David said. Caesar narrowed his eyes.

"I'm helping you out, aren't I?" His long, featherduster grey tail twitched back and forth.

"That's not the same thing."

"Well, what more do you want from me?" Caesar snapped angrily. David cocked his head.

"I don't know." The fire faded from Caesar's eyes. He sighed and shook his head.

"Follow me. Don't stray, ever. Got that, David?" It was the first time Caesar had used his name.

"Yes, Caesar." They pushed through the bramble in silence. David tried to keep up, too proud to say anything. Bayren Forest was thickly wooded, so much so that the sunlight struggled to break through the foliage. As a result the duo moved within a strange, dappled twilight. Odd noises echoed throughout the forest. Occasionally David thought he heard something behind him. But when he glanced back, nothing was there. David was beginning to understand what Caesar meant by Bayren Forest causing madness. Although David didn't say anything when Caesar slowed down of his own accord, he was grateful. David's thighs burned from walking for what felt like forever.

_David…_ It was not Caesar who spoke. Confused, David paused. Turned. There was a beautiful green stag-like Pokémon standing several feet away. He knew it to be a Virizion. It pawed at the ground, wild and proud and magnificent. They gazed at one another for a moment that spanned a lifetime and a split second all at once. _Follow me._ It walked away.

David followed.

They walked along a true path, the grass worn away by the many feet of many Pokémon. Virizion's pace picked up imperceptibly. Its walk became a trot. David obligingly began to move faster as well. Virizion broke into a gallop. David broke into a run. The world streaked past, greys and whites and greens merging into black.

"Wait!" David called breathlessly. "Please wait." Virizion did not appear to listen.

_David…_

_David…_

_David…_

"DAVID!"

Losing control of his limbs, David tumbled into soft, grey fur and hard, rigid muscle. They rolled over again and again and again down a long slope until right was left and up was down and light was dark and nothing was something. David and Caesar finally crashed to a stop. David flipped over and threw up all the water he'd drunk. Caesar didn't vomit, although he seemed similarly disoriented. Sides heaving, David dry-heaved one more time for good measure. They both flopped on their backs and stared up at the canopy of the forest.

"Couldn't even follow one simple instruction, could you?" Caesar finally said.

"I did follow."

"Don't think I've ever been so scared before."

"Sorry."

"Maybe you are human, after all." Such a simple concession. Such an enormous meaning. They exchanged glances. In that moment, David knew he understood Caesar more than anyone else ever had.

"Yes, Caesar." An interminable amount of time passed before they'd both sufficiently recovered. Caesar got up first and helped David to his feet. Again. The Minccino looked around.

"Oh, Arceus," Caesar swore. David cocked his head.

"What's wrong?" But even as the words left his mouth, David knew. The forest had changed. Before them was a smooth path that went ahead, arrow straight. Trees lined the path, unnaturally straight and tall, forming an impenetrable barrier on either side. The place was silent. The fur on David's back bristled, the skin underneath prickling. Caesar grimaced.

"We're in a Mystery Dungeon."

_To be continued… _

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_I suppose you could consider this PMD 3, although I think it's going to be considerably darker than either game. It was inspired by ScytheRider's PMD fic, as that story got me thinking about a lot of interesting questions concerning good versus evil, the actual power of friendship, etc. Check that out first if you haven't already. Stylistically this is radically different from anything I've ever attempted before, so I'd really appreciate feedback on whether people think it works or not (i.e. the heavy symbolism and general vagueness). Also, I know David is a legendary Pokémon, but Victini was just such a perfect Pokémon for this story that I couldn't not use it. I'll do everything in my power to make it so that he isn't overpowered, I promise.

_Return of the Thief, _out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: From the Ashes of Victory**

Then the earth shook and trembled;

The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,

Because He was angry.

Smoke went up from His nostrils,

And devouring fire from His mouth;

Coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down

And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;

He flew upon the wings of the wind.

- Psalms 18: 7-15

* * *

**Bayren Forest B1**

David gaped at Caesar.

"Mystery… Dungeon?" he said slowly.

"I'll explain later, now c'mon, we need to hurry," Caesar said. He started to move and then stopped, gazing at David incredulously. "David… you're glowing."

"I am?" David glanced down, feeling self-conscious. Sure enough, a faint orange light was emitting from his fur.

_That's why we can see, _David realized, eyes flicking up to the impenetrable, dome-like canopy.

"You light the way," Caesar said it so softly that David almost missed it. Then, louder, "I guess you should lead then. Come on, it's a straight line, not that hard."

"You would think," David murmured, moving ahead of Caesar. The Minccino kept close behind David, practically breathing down his neck. David tried to stifle his annoyance. "Could you maybe move back a little – urk!" Grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, Caesar threw David to the ground. Something buzzed overhead, the wind from its wings ruffling David's fur.

"Stay down, I'll handle this," Caesar snapped, jumping to his feet. His fur fluffed up, so that he appeared several times his actual size. Caesar emitted a strange hissing noise that David had never heard before; he hadn't thought Caesar even capable of making such a sound. It was clearly a warning. Lifting his head, David watched as the Pokémon that attacked them banked and swerved. In the dim orange lighting its glossy yellow skin contained a strange, ominous hue. Six blank, black eyes stared out of three flat, hexagonal faces. The Combee beat its wings even faster, emitting a high pitched whirring noise in reply to Caesar's Growl.

Tensing, a dull red-brown aura surrounded Caesar. David could practically feel the bitterness and resentment radiating from the Minccino in waves. With an animalistic snarl Caesar charged at the Combee, who flew forward as well, three mouths gaping to reveal needle-like teeth. As Caesar twisted to swipe at the Combee with his tail David felt an odd tug at his navel, followed by a surge of energy. Caesar's tail burst into bright orange flame, slicing through the Combee like a hot knife through butter. The burnt and smoking halves collapsed on either side Caesar, who let out a strangled yelp and attempted to beat out the fire by smacking his tail on the ground. But it had already faded away. Confused, he looked up at David, who stared back with wide eyes.

"Did you…?"

"I don't know." David shakily stood back up. "But I think so." Caesar didn't reply for a long moment. There was a strange gleam in his eye that David wasn't sure he liked.

"I've never felt anything like that… It was as though I could take on a whole Combee hive. Not that that's saying much," Caesar finally mumbled. David just shrugged. Caesar's head snapped up. "Whatever, let's worry about it later. Where there's one Combee there's likely to be a dozen more elsewhere. And while Combee aren't exactly fierce fighters, I don't really want to be slowed down by them." David nodded and started walking again.

"Are you all right?" David asked. The path turned sharply. They obligingly rounded the corner. David was glad to find nothing was there to jump at them.

"Fine. Not even a scratch." There was an unmistakable air of pride in Caesar's tone. Several minutes of silence passed. David watched Caesar's large round ears twitch, alert for even the slightest of sounds. He tried to emulate the Minccino and found that Bayren Forest was not as quiet as he'd originally thought. Still, the creaks and cracks that filled the air made David jumpy.

"Why did that Combee attack you? I thought they were relatively gentle creatures," David asked.

"And how is it that you know that?" Caesar shot him a look.

"I just do." David watched as Caesar sighed and contemplated this for a moment. His ears never stopped moving.

"This is a Mystery Dungeon, David. They're… they're not ordinary places. Tell me, are you feeling hungry?" The question caught David by surprise.

"Hungry? No…" David said slowly.

"Good. See, this land, Sinova… it's cursed."

"Cursed?"

"Yeah, cursed. No one knows why or how, although there are all sorts of speculations. The curse plagues certain parts of the land. Pokémon call these places Mystery Dungeons. They started appearing ten years ago." A brooding look appeared in Caesar's dark eyes.

"Why do you think Sinova is cursed?"

"It doesn't matter." David flinched at the harsh undertone. Caesar softened. "How Mystery Dungeons got here is unimportant. The point is they're here. A Mystery Dungeon is a shifting maze that traps Pokémon and eventually drives them mad." David shuddered.

"… How?"

"By starving them. Time moves differently in Mystery Dungeons. You get hungrier faster, stay hungry longer. If you can't find a way out, eventually you go insane. Nothing is ever enough. It never goes away. You need to keep eating, more and more… soon it's all that matters. Soon you're consumed by hunger, by an emptiness inside you that can never be filled. It turns Wilds—"

"Wilds?" Caesar irritably flicked an ear at David.

"Pokémon that can't talk or form a true civilization. Don't interrupt. It turns Wilds and Civilized alike into senseless, ravaging beasts that attack on sight. That's probably the reason the Combee went after you."

_What a truly horrible fate, _David thought with a shiver.

"That's why we need to get out of here as fast as possible, David. Got that?" Caesar's expression was hard and flinty. David nodded. They walked in silence for a long time after that.

**Bayren Forest B3**

David watched, faintly nauseated, as Caesar tore apart two Combee with his Frustration attack. They were frail creatures whose delicate skin ripped easily. And yet if Caesar didn't do anything they would try to try to eat the duo, as evidenced by the bite mark at Caesar's throat. David stared at the wound. The clump of fur was congealing with blood, quickly hardening into a scab. Caesar twisted and began to lick the wound clean, grooming out the knots in his fur. Soon the injury would be completely healed over.

_Another effect of the Mystery Dungeon, I suppose, _David thought. He could feel the beginnings of hunger pangs gnawing at his belly and it scared him. However, David didn't dare say anything to Caesar. He didn't want to worry the Minccino. He didn't want to worry himself. _I need something to distract me._

"Do you think I could fight the next Combee we come across?" David asked. There were a couple other extremely weak bug types, but they hadn't found much else. Caesar had said this area was probably Combee territory, and most of the other Wilds had probably been overwhelmed and then eaten. Caesar looked up from where he'd wiped the thick grey mucus of the Cobees' innards off on the grass.

"You sure?" he asked. David hesitated. Watching Caesar fight made him feel slightly ill. But he also hated feeling like a burden and making Caesar do all the work. The strange event with Caesar's tail and the fire had not occurred again, although not for lack of trying on David's part.

"I might need to defend myself," David eventually said. "Besides, Combee aren't so tough, yeah?" The false bravado rang hollow in the quiet of the forest.

"Okay," Caesar said. "Try fighting one on your own and I'll jump in to help if need be." David nodded and they continued forward. That was the only direction they were really able to go, as they had yet to find crossing paths, something David was incredibly thankful for. Still, the Mystery Dungeon seemed to accommodate for this by making the forest as monotonous as possible.

_We're looking for a gap, _David reminded himself, _a break in the dungeon. That will take us to the next area. Once we get to the center the final gap will get us out of the Mystery Dungeon for good._ The sooner they escaped the happier he would be. Then David tensed as he heard a familiar buzzing in the far off distance. Exchanging brief glances with Caesar, the Minccino nodded, and David stepped forward. His stomach churned with nerves as he waited for the Combee to appear. There were two if David wasn't mistaken.

"I'll make sure you only have to deal with one," Caesar promised, confirming his guess. Relieved, David nodded to show he'd heard. Moments later the Combee were barreling toward them. Letting out a fierce battle cry David charged at one. It was like careening into paper mache. The Combee's wings beat furiously against him, tiny mouths snapping at his fur. One broke skin and David stumbled backward, letting loose a pained cry. The Combee then head-butted David in the stomach. He retched, something hot and bubbling working its way out of David's mouth to spew all over the Combee. The bug screeched with pain as bright embers burned through its skin. It quickly caught fire and David could only stare as the Combee turned to ashes before his very eyes.

_Return to the earth whence you came._

"Not bad, for your first try." Having already vanquished his foe, Caesar walked over and stomped out the dying embers. "Let's not risk a forest fire, though, even in a Mystery Dungeon."

"I did that." David could hear a mixture of wonder and revulsion in his tone.

"Yup. You did. Now come on, we have to keep moving."

"It bit me!" Once the shock wore off, David was acutely aware of the throbbing puncture marks on his arm.

"Yeah, they do that too. It'll heal. Are you coming or not?" Caesar said impatiently. David shook himself before starting up the endless trek once more.

"You're pretty good at this. Have you fought a lot?" he asked.

"More than some. Less than others." David scowled at the enigmatic reply but bit back a retort. Behind them, unnoticed, vines slithered out to drag the remaining Combee carcass into the depths of the Bayren Forest.

**Bayren Forest Meadow**

David's stomach growled loudly.

"Almost there," Caesar mumbled. David certainly hoped so. He was getting more than a little tired of the unchanging appearance of the Mystery Dungeon. Every tree was the exact same height, shape, and shade. The path never changed. The Pokémon never changed. It was almost as though they were walking the same square mile, again and again and again and again…

Although at least, in the time that passed, David had come to master his attack, Incinerate, something he took immense pride in. The fire type move easily destroyed any aggressive Pokémon that approached, to the point that the majority of the wild Pokémon began avoiding the duo. Although convenient, David still couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable every time he watched a Combee or Sewaddle burn to death in a conflagration of flame. David frowned, distracted from his thoughts. He thought he could hear a dull buzz, but it was difficult to pinpoint, because it was strangely muffled.

The path opened up.

David was so startled that he stopped where he was. Caesar bumped into him and started to snap something, before trailing off as he also caught sight of the meadow. In the center was a massive tree. Its branches, sporting clusters of large golden leaves, blotted much of the dull grey sky. Combee could be seen flitting in and out of the tree. There so many that David's ears ached from the dull roar their wings produced. Whatever had been blocking the sound before was gone now. But the thing that caught David's attention was the honey. The _honey_. It was everywhere. Dripping through the cracks in the bark, pooling on the ground, covering the Combee… the sweet scent drifted toward David and his mouth watered.

"David…" Caesar warned, although he too was eyeing the tree hungrily. Then the wind shifted and the Combee caught their scent. All noise stopped for the briefest of moments. In the deadly quiet David had a moment of brief contemplation.

_I'm hungry…_

Then the Combee exploded. David didn't understand how even a tree of that size could contain so many bug-type Pokémon. The buzzing became an angry, high pitched, frenzied whine. It reminded David of a song, although he was so afraid that he couldn't quite remember the name. Perhaps he never would. More and more Combee poured out, massing together to form one huge conglomeration, a wall of black and yellow.

_Black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow… You know what it is?_

That was the wrong song, David was sure of it.

"David?" Caesar's tone was deceptively calm.

"Yeah?"

"Now would be a good time to do that thing where you set my tail on fire."

"I'll keep that in mind." Then the Combee were upon them and David found he couldn't keep much of _anything_ in mind. It was like fighting a brick wall that was constantly rebuilding itself. Where four or five Combee fell to David's flames, six or seven more took their place. There were so many that the Combee seemed to choke the very air itself, although that couldn't be right because flame needed oxygen to breathe except fire didn't breathe, it wasn't a living thing... David's thoughts were drowning in a sea of furious yellow. They were everywhere, gnawing at his feet and legs, clogging his nose, nipping at his ears. He fell to his knees, allowing them to swarm over on all sides.

"David!" There was a desperate sense of urgency to that cry.

Something clicked on. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say something shut off.

Uttering a low, guttural snarl, David's eyes shone a bluish-purple color. An invisible force, like a rubber band snapping, flew out from him, pushing all the Combee around him back. It was so strong that several of the Combee were ripped to pieces. Gasping at the sudden drain of energy, David staggered to his feet. Then Caesar was there, swathed in orange flames, eyes glowing a similar color, smashing into as many Combee as he could manage. David joined in, inspired by a surge of pure adrenaline, spitting fire at anything that moved. They were so swift and effective on the counter attack that it almost seemed as though the very sky was raining fire and brimstone. What Combee had survived the firestorm fell back, terrified, instinctively beating their burning comrades away from the tree. But it was a hopeless task. Caesar and David watched, panting and dripping sweat, as the leaves of the honey tree caught fire and spread quickly.

There was a crack, followed by a loud retort. The tree groaned and bulged as a monstrous _creature _twisted and shredded its way free. The Pokémon was massive, with bulging, compound eyes. Honey dribbled from its soaked, bell shaped body, and David could make out Combee grubs worming and twisting within the Pokémon's semi-transparent honeycomb "dress".

"Arceus," Caesar muttered. "We brought out the Vespiquen."

"Well, isn't that just fine and dandy?" David panted, swiping away the blood that dribbled down a cut above his eye. "This day just gets better and better."

"We wouldn't be in this situation if you'd listened."

"I did listen." Before the duo could prolong their petty, borderline hysterical argument, the Vespiquen locked onto them. She didn't say anything, but the Combee fell back. Floating forward, she gazed at them with glittering black eyes. David felt an abrupt surge of hope. Maybe the Mystery Dungeon didn't have her in its thrall? Before he could say anything, Caesar took off at a sprint, growling fiercely at the Vespiquen. "Wait!" The fire coating Caesar's tail and eyes flickered and died out.

"Oh shi –" Vespiquen raised an arm and slashed it at him. If the attack had connected, it would have separated Caesar's head from his body. Thankfully, his natural quickness and agility saved his life. Caesar ducked the attack and rolled underneath Vespiquen. Then he surged upward, surrounded by his Frustration aura, and smashed into Vespiquen's underside. The large bug type let out a strange, muted shriek and twisted sharply, dislodging Caesar and sending him flying backwards, covered in honey and grub guts and goo. The Minccino shakily stood up and froze, staring at the state of his fur in obvious horror and disgust.

_I have to help, _David thought. He took aim and fired a hot blast of flame at Vespiquen. However, before it even got close, several Combee darted forward and blocked the attack, immolating almost instantly. David gaped, horrified. _They just sacrificed themselves without a second thought… _

Behind them the tree continued to burn.

Making several strange clicking noises, Vespiquen's arm jerked in an odd gesture, antennae flicking back and forth. The clearing darkened and the air grew strangely heavy. Dew condensed onto David's fur and then evaporated just as quickly. Several Combee came forward and smeared a strange grey paste over Vepiquen's injury. At the same time, a heavy rain abruptly started to fall. Caesar and David exchanged terrified glances, Caesar thoughtlessly attempting to wipe his fur clean in the process. David could practically see his own strength being sapped away by the downpour, steam spiraling around him, and sagged slightly from the toll it took on his body.

"Is this really how it all ends?" Caesar murmured. The rain dripping down his face made it look like he was crying. Perhaps he was. The Vespiquen turned and flew at them. David just stared, not knowing what to do, not knowing how he could defeat the powerful bug with the rain pounding on him from the outside and his growing hunger pounding on him from the inside. As she approached everything slowed down and came to a standstill. Cracks appeared in the world, shattering into shards of razor sharp glass, showering David with pieces of himself. The last he saw was the bright blue of his own eye before everything faded to black.

_To be continued…_

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_I wasn't intending to update this so soon, but I got impatient, ha. I'm not sure I really like this chapter, as the action in it is inherently at odds with the original tone of the fiction. Plus there are certain words and phrases I use waaaay too much. But regardless, I hope more people read and review this time around, as I'd love to hear different opinions and critiques on my story. Oh, and yeah, I changed my summary. Deal with it. =P

_Return of the Thief, _out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: From the Ashes of Victory**

Life is a fragile affair.

We are all dancing

on the edge of a precipice,

a dizzying cliff so high

we can't see the bottom.

- Mark Rickerby

* * *

When David came to his senses, they were outside the Bayren Forest.

The change in scenery was so jarring that for a long moment he could only stare about stupidly. The sun had reappeared but was playing hide and seek with heavy grey clouds as it slowly began to set. In the distance, beyond a sea of overgrown, golden grass, was a lone, charcoal black castle framed by the azure blue of the ocean.

What?

… _What_?

"Caesar?" David's voice quavered. He felt like he'd just woken up all over again, lost and disoriented and confused, with no knowledge of how he'd ended up where he was. For a brief, terrifying moment no one replied. "Caesar?"

"What." There was a strange undertone to Caesar's answer that was distinctly at odds with everything David had observed about the Minccino in their brief time together. Caesar was several feet ahead of David, staring at the castle with a faraway look on his face.

"Why am I here?"

"_What_?" Caesar jerked back to reality and turned toward David.

"I don't remember." David's expression became stricken.

"Well, how am I supposed to know?" Caesar asked after a confused pause. "I just found you is all." David blinked.

"Wait, huh? No, that's not what I'm talking about!" David said, rubbing his forehead. He could feel a pounding headache coming on. The events of the day were beginning to border on overwhelming. "How did we get out of the Mystery Dungeon? What happened to the Vespiquen and the rain storm and… and everything?"

"You don't remember?" Caesar gazed at David strangely. Something flickered in the depths of his brown orbs that made David uncomfortable.

"No… no, I don't," David said. He became acutely aware of how sore and tired his body was. He just wanted to curl up and sleep until the end of days. Caesar surveyed him, contemplating something, appearing troubled.

"You saved our lives," he finally said. David blinked.

"I did?"

"Yeah… you did. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen." Caesar's voice was carefully neutral. David wondered what he was hiding.

"But why don't I remember anything?" David asked, an edge of desperation gracing his plea. Caesar shrugged.

"I dunno." The stared at one another for a second that seemed to span ages. David broke the deadlock, shoulders slumping.

"Whatever, let's go," he mumbled, stepping in the direction of the far off castle.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Caesar spun David around so savagely that David lost his balance and fell on his butt. David gaped at Caesar, stunned. Caesar appeared abashed, although his mouth was set in a grim, stubborn line.

"Wha… what was that for?" David asked indignantly, feelings hurt more than anything else. Caesar's huge ears pressed flat to his skull.

"The Burnt Castle is cursed. You shouldn't stray too near it." His tail flicked back and forth in obvious agitation.

_Is everything here cursed? You could've just said so… _But David let it pass. Standing up, he brushed the dirt off his fur.

"So it's a Mystery Dungeon?" he asked.

"Probably," Caesar said. "No one really knows, though. Anyone who enters never comes out again."

"Then why are we here?" David tried to conceal his irritation but failed badly. If Caesar noticed he didn't react, merely turned away.

"That's my business. It's nothing for you to worry about." Caesar began to walk. David gazed haplessly after him before reluctantly following. He didn't have anywhere else to go. Caesar didn't head toward the Burnt Castle but instead walked parallel to it. His nose twitched and his eyes grew darker and harder as time passed. David felt as though they were branching off in different directions with each step they took. Eventually Caesar stopped, picking up cues that David couldn't sense. Kneeling down, the Minccino began to dig.

"Do you want me to help?" David asked despite knowing the answer.

"No." The ground was still soft from the rain. As Caesar dug, mud began to coat his fur. He ignored it, getting steadily dirtier the deeper he dug. Soon he was transformed into a bizarre, barely recognizable creature that only bore the faintest traces of a resemblance to Caesar. David wished he could intervene and stop whatever was happening, but he didn't know how. Not only that, but it was fascinating to watch, in a horrifying, can't-tear-your-eyes-away way. Eventually Caesar uncovered what he was looking for and hauled it out of the muck. It was a chest. Caesar kicked it open and took out the contents. A book. Squinting, David tried to catch sight of the title. _The Tragedy of Julius Caesar_.

_Not a book. A play. _Something stirred in David at the sight. Something that had to do with the part of him that knew without out a doubt that he was human, or had been. David just wished he knew what it meant. Caesar sat down and began to read, not caring if he dirtied the play with his muddy paws. By the time Caesar finished the sun had fully set. David found he could see fairly well in the dark, although the soft glow of his fur certainly helped. The light reflected off Caesar's dark eyes, giving them an ominous, flickering luminescence. Part of David wondered if Caesar was even reading the words on the pages, just going through the motions for reasons that only the Minccino knew. Finally Caesar snapped the manuscript shut and stood up. He carefully placed it back in the chest, and then threw the chest back in the deep hole he'd dug. Caesar finished by filling in the pit with the now-dry dirt pile.

"Come on," Caesar said. His voice sounded oddly ragged.

"Where are we going?" David asked, blinking.

"The beginning of the Serran River is nearby. It should lead us back to the Hallowed Village. As long as no one goes wandering off we'll find shelter quickly and easily." David realized he'd been so mesmerized by Caesar's actions he hadn't even heard the gentle rushing movements of a nearby water source. They found the river easily, although it was more of a stream at that point. Caesar took a dip, the swift but shallow river washing the caked dirt away. Once it cleared downstream the duo both quenched their thirst and began walking along the riverbank.

The Bayren Forest was even creepier at night, David decided. Then again, most things were creepier at night. He couldn't help but be thankful that his glowing fur lit the way. Although the light cast strange shadows upon the trees, so that it appeared there were monsters lurking where there was nothing.

_Perhaps nothing is the most terrifying monster of all, _David thought with a shiver, keeping close to Caesar. The Hallowed Village appeared even more abandoned and derelict in the dark. Still, David was thankful for shelter. It already felt a bit like a coming home.

_How strange to think we left this morning and yet it feels like we've been away forever. _David yawned, his jaw cracking from how wide his mouth could open. He didn't think he'd ever been so tired in his life. The hunger had dulled down and practically faded away. Whether it was because David was no longer in the proximity of the Mystery Dungeon, or Caesar's strange behavior had made him lose his appetite, David didn't know. And he didn't really want to have to think about it. David was tired of thinking; his mind felt like it had contemplated everything in the universe in the brief span of one day.

"G'night," David muttered, staggering into the hut he'd woken up in. He located his pallet of grass and hay and crashed onto it, passing out immediately. David dreamt – for who didn't dream? – but couldn't recall his dreams come morning.

…

"_I wondered, for the first time in my life, if life was worth all the work it took to live. What exactly made it worth it? What's so horrible about being dead forever, and not feeling anything, and not even dreaming? What's so great about feeling and dreaming?"_

_To be continued…_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I realize this is really short, but I didn't like the idea of merging this chapter with the next. So... I did this instead. I feel like it's a decent end to the first "arc" or whatever and sets up a lot of important stuff for later on in the story. Hope no one one minds the angst or thinks it's too, uh, dramatic or anything.

_Return of the Thief, _out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: From the Ashes of Victory**

Majestic river! in thy onward course,

Like that stream of myriad stars that flows

Across the glitt'ring heavens, thou divid'st

A continent in twain. For ages thou

Wert lost to men. Thy virgin waters flowed

Peacefully on between the shores of thy

Fairy-like isles, gently lapping the base

Of the o'erhanging rocks that stood like stern

Sentinels guarding thee.

- Watie W. Swanzie

* * *

David had the pleasure of waking up to sore muscles and a dry throat. Groaning, he rolled over and bumped into Caesar, who was curled into a ball nearby by. The Minccino grunted drowsily and stirred before falling back asleep. Opening his eyes, David gazed up at the ceiling of the hut. For several peaceful moments his mind was mercifully blank. Then thoughts began to filter in, buzzing about his consciousness like flighty Combee. The day before had been so hectic that David hadn't really a chance to contemplate the enormity of all that had occurred.

_I was a human. Now I'm a Victini. I don't know how or why. A Virizion told me to follow. Then it led Caesar and me into a Mystery Dungeon where we almost died. I don't know how or why. I saved us from a hive of Combee. Now I can't remember what occurred. I don't know how or why. _The enormity of his ignorance was truly a frightening thing to behold. David wished he could close his eyes and go back to sleep, forget all the restless thoughts that refused to leave him be.

A voice in his head, sounding a lot like Caesar, asked, _"Well, why don't you think about what you _do_ know?" _David considered this. He knew his name. He knew what a Mystery Dungeon was. He knew he could trust Caesar, even if he wasn't sure he count on him. The Minccino seemed to have a decent amount of basic knowledge on the Pokémon they'd met so far. That was something, right? David flopped onto his stomach and huffed loudly. Caesar's ears twitched and one dark eye lazily opened.

"Whatisit?" mumbled the Minccino. Their eyes met. Any consideration of questioning Caesar about the day before was promptly vanquished.

"I can't stop thinking," David said. Sighing, Caesar sat up and shook himself off before meticulously grooming his fur. David waited until he was done.

"Well, can't have that, yeah? We should leave. No reason to stick around here. Would be really stupid to, actually. We can head down south to Shoreton City." Standing, Caesar hauled David to his feet.

"Shoreton City?" David followed Caesar out of the hut into the bright dawn light. They made their way back to the Serran River. David knelt down and cupped his paws in the river, watching as the water slipped away, returning to whence it came.

"Biggest city in all of Sinova. It's a center of culture and prosperity," Caesar said proudly. The Minccino stopped beside a large oak tree, its roots so massive that they jutted above ground. "Now, where is it…?" Caesar darted in between the roots. Strips of shadow made it appear as though black bars were imprinted across his ash grey fur.

"What are you looking for?" David asked, ears flicking back and forth as he cocked his head. Caesar didn't reply, although David could hear low grunts and the sound of something shifting. "Do you need any help?"

"No, it's fine." Moments later Caesar appeared, tugging along something big and square and wooden. David squinted, staring, and recognized the object after a moment.

"That's a raft," he said.

"Very good. What's this?" Caesar panted sardonically, pushing the raft so that it fell flat on the ground with a muffled thump. He then showed David a leather pack overflowing with fruit. Almost against his will, David's mouth watered, and his stomach reminded him he'd had nothing substantial to eat all day yesterday.

"Can I have some?" David didn't wait for a reply, stepping up to grab several plump, dark blue berries and shovel them into his mouth. Caesar rolled his eyes, although an amused smile flitted briefly across the edges of his mouth.

"Yeah, sure, David, go ahead, thanks for asking nicely." David ignored Caesar, too busy savoring the delicious fruit. The soreness in his limbs seemed to vanish as inexplicable energy filled David from head to toe.

"This is really good." He gulped down his brief meal and grinned. Caesar shrugged.

"Glad you like them. Let's save the rest for later, though, it should take all day to get to Serran City even going downriver by raft. Now help me push this thing into the water." Caesar and David walked to the raft and shoved at it, sliding it against the ground. It wasn't as heavy as David expected, although that wasn't saying much. Once the front of the raft nosed into the river the pushing got a lot easier. So much easier, in fact, that David lost his footing and tumbled into the water. He instantly sprang back out with a yowl, steam rising off his fur in his waves. Caesar, having already jumped onto the raft, a long, pole-like branch in paw, snorted with laughter as David scrambled on.

"Hilarious, I'm sure." David panted, feeling petulant as he shook what water hadn't yet dried out, spraying the Minccino.

"Hey! Not the fur!" Caesar said indignantly, jumping back out of reflex. The raft tilted obligingly and they both fell over, managing to just stay aboard the raft. Blinking at each other for a moment, the duo burst into hearty laughter. It made David feel much better, even if Caesar's jubilation did sound a bit forced. "You're something else, David." Shaking his head, Caesar used the staff to guide them out in the middle of the river.

"Thanks, I think." David turned over onto his back. Caesar came and sat down beside him. A sense of quiet companionship pervaded after that.

"So… do you remember anything about being human?" Caesar eventually asked. From the tone of his voice, David was certain this was something the Minccino had long been thinking over. David shook his head regretfully.

"No… I can't remember anything, it seems. Except for my name and the fact that I was human." There was another moment of silence. Far above, a flock of Staravia streaked past, their white and grey feathers black silhouettes cast against the vibrant sun.

"The reason I didn't believe you at first… humans vanished a long time ago. No one can remember why. Or if anyone does, they're not telling. All that's left are some ruins and artifacts. We turned two into cities, but the rest…" Caesar trailed off. David mulled this information over.

_Then why am I here? _He sat up, drawing his short knees close, gazing at the rushing blue water without really seeing it.

"What's the other city?" David asked. Caesar blinked.

"Huh?"

"Shoreton City is one, right?" David said. Understanding flared in Caesar's dark eyes, as well as something else.

"Oh. The Shifting City. It's far to the north." Something about the way Caesar spoke warned David not to ask any more questions concerning that particular place.

"I see." Neither spoke for a long time. The hours passed along slowly, as time was want to do when anyone felt the need to be anywhere. David found he didn't mind. It was relaxing. He drifted in and out of sleep, warming himself in the bright sun, occasionally snagging a berry from the pacl to satiate his stomach or a gulp of water from the river to slake his thirst. Caesar seemed to have a harder time doing nothing. He sat upright, rigid and tense, his tail ticking back and forth as though it was keeping time. Occasionally Caesar would use the staff to maneuver them away some jutting rocks, or steer them through a brief series of rapids. Whenever David offered to help he would be curtly denied. After a while a question formed in the depths of David's mind.

"What about you?" he asked. Caesar jerked, blinking at David.

"What about me?" Caesar eyed David warily.

"Well… I feel like I don't know anything about you. Not really. Why don't you tell me about yourself?" David almost couldn't believe his own bravery. Caesar looked as though he couldn't decide whether or not to answer.

"I remember a time when I used to be happy," he finally said. "Really, truly happy. And now I'm trying to find a way to get that happiness back."

"Was it ten years ago?" David asked. Caesar hesitated before nodding. "What happened?" Although David tried to speak softly, his words seemed unnaturally loud, as though everything around them was quieting down to listen in. A spasm of agony slid across Caesar's face.

"Some things are best not spoken aloud," he said in a low, throbbing tone. David dropped the topic. The world around them swirled by, much like the river beneath them. The feeling of insignificance produced was strangely freeing. At one point David thought he saw a dark silhouette shiver past the raft. When he peered over the edge to get a better look, a bright blue tail flashed, splashing David's face with water. He sputtered and coughed steam while Caesar smirked, amused.

Soon they rounded a bend in the Serran River, and found a bridge that also functioned as a gate blocking their path. Short feet dangling indolently off the edge, a dark creature of purple and black shadows stared straight at them. Its expression was hard to read, due to the fact that it had ruby red gems for eyes, but David sensed a bored aura radiating in waves from the Sableye. The raft gently bumped against the flimsy wood of the barricade.

"Fifteen poké to pass." The low, rasping drawl of the Sableye was so different from the only voice David had heard – Caesar's – aside from his own that the human-turned-Victini couldn't help but blink uncomprehendingly.

"You're trying to force Pokémon to pay a toll to use the Serran River? What in Arceus name is wrong with you?!" Caesar bristled with righteous fury.

"I gotta eat," said the Sableye indifferently. "Stop whining and pay up."

"Then again, I suppose it's to be expected, from a Jantoenn Pokémon," Caesar retorted, tone scathing and condescending. The Sableye stilled, before a slow grin spread across his face. The bright whiteness of his teeth provided a sinister contrast to his dark face and body.

"You're one of them self-entitled Sinovians, arentcha? And what about your friend, there? Don't look like no Sinova born Pokémon I've ever seen. We have a word for 'mons like you, back home." The tension between the two was almost palpable. David wished he knew what was going on. Dimly, he remembered Caesar asking if he'd hailed from this Jantoenn.

"Because you know every species of Pokémon native to Sinova, huh?" Caesar said, voice bordering onto a snarl.

"True enough." The Sableye shrugged. "To tell the truth, I don't much give a damn about anything. 'Cept for my poké, course. Which you still haven't paid for." His smile curled into a sneer. "Gonna fight me to pass, instead?" They glowered at one another. Then Caesar seemed to sag inward on himself, turning toward their bag of dwindling food. He pulled out several glinting gold coins from the bottom.

"Here. I hope you choke on whatever you use that on," Caesar told the Sableye, tossing them into the air. The dark creature deftly snatched the coins.

"Thank you kindly. Your hospitality is much appreciated." He vanished behind the lip of the bridge. Moments later, the lower sections split in half and parted open. An onrushing tug of the blocked river water brought them forward, surging beyond the Sableye's toll bridge.

"Foreigners," Caesar said. He picked up a berry and angrily hurled it into the river. "I hate them all, the conniving little…" The Minccino continued to mutter darkly to himself. David just sat there, trying to take in everything that had happened.

_My first encounter with another sentient Pokémon, _he thought. _Not exactly pleasant. _David had so many questions he wanted to ask. Whether or not he wanted to ask Caesar his questions was another thing entirely. It was a dilemma David wrestled with for several minutes, while Caesar continued to rant.

"Why didn't you fight back?" David interrupted the stream of mumbled curses. Caesar froze, hesitated, considered this query. An unreadable expression morphed his facial features for a brief second.

"Because I'm a coward.. and weak." Something about the way Caesar said that broke David's heart. He resolved, in that moment, to stay with the Minccino no matter what. It was an impulsive decision, but David didn't much care. Besides, he needed Caesar. And perhaps, in some way, somehow, Caesar needed David just as much, if not more.

"What is Jantoenn?" David asked. He could tell Caesar understood what had happened and was grateful.

"A country across the sea. The Pokémon there seem to feel the need to plague Sinova with their presence." Caesar scowled and stared off into the distance. Then he shook his head. "But whatever. Let's talk about something else." David nodded and eagerly latched onto a topic change. The two talked about idle, unimportant things, until there was nothing more to be said. Not that anything had really been spoken.

"Say, Caesar, what are we going to do when we get to Shoreton City?" The sky was now painted in hues of gold and red as the sun began to sink below the horizon. The changing light reflected off the water. Part of David felt as though they were gliding through a river of blood. He swiftly banished the morbid notion.

"Are you ever going to stop asking questions?" Caesar asked, annoyed.

"I hope not." David was horrified by the thought.

"Touché," Caesar remarked. "Anyway, in Shoreton City, we could probably find a psychic or two to check out your memories. Maybe even help you get them back."

"They can do that?" David was somewhat disturbed by the idea of some unknown Pokémon probing his brain, baring his private memories to the stranger.

"Sure. Some can, anyway. The specialists. Depends on the psychic-type. Just have to ask around." Caesar scratched at the back of his head, and then smoothed out the disturbed fur.

"What if that doesn't work?" David felt the need to ask.

"Dunno. We'll figure something out." Neither made any mention of the use of the word 'we'. It wasn't necessary. They'd reached an understanding, bordering on tentative friendship. That didn't stop warm contentment from spreading though David's limbs as Caesar spoke.

"Maybe we could – hey, look!" David exclaimed, sitting up. Caesar followed his gaze and smiled proudly.

"That, David," he said, "Would be Shoreton City."

_To be continued..._

* * *

_**Author's Note:** _This is probably my chapter written to date. It was just a laid back expose of the two main characters' personality, and was simply... fun. Not to mention I adore world building, more of which will be in the next chapter. Stay tuned! :D

_Return of the Thief, _out.


End file.
